14th Annual Gold Star Dive Coming July 21

AVALON — Divers from across Southern California are preparing for the annual Gold Star Dive at Catalina’s Casino Point Underwater Park, to help raise money for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Avalon Youth Athletic League program and the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber.

The event, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature a morning dive, in which divers will search for gold stars placed throughout the Casino Point Underwater Park, to receive prizes. Last year, more than $12,000 in prizes was given away.

The first 150 divers to register for the event will receive a commemorative T-shirt.

Established in 1997, the Gold Star Dive is a nonprofit event established as a means to help support the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department youth programs and the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. The event is hosted by the Avalon Sheriff’s Station.

Following the dive, lunch will be served — with food including the event’s famous “Ballast Burgers” and “Diver Dogs.”

In the afternoon, participants will head over to Wrigley Plaza near Avalon Bay, where the Gold Star Dive official raffle will take place. Participants, event supporters and Avalon residents will gather to see if they have one of many winning prize tickets.

Prizes will also be awarded for those who participate in the dive and find one of more than 100 gold stars that have been planted in the Casino Point Underwater Park. All participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt, a solid chocolate star and a “goodie bag” containing one free raffle ticket.

Non-divers are encouraged to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a topside prize.

The entry fee for participating in the Catalina Gold Star Dive is $60 per diver. Divers can access the registration form, waiver and release at catalinagoldstar.org. Checks can be made payable to Avalon Y.A.L. (Youth Activity League) and mailed to Avalon Sheriff’s Station, P.O. Box 1551, Avalon, CA 90704-1551.